Living Cost Compare
Davenport

Iowa

$960/mo est.

vs
Virginia Beach

Virginia

$1,560/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $960 in Davenport, IA versus $1,560 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Davenport, IA is roughly 38% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 29% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Davenport, IA
Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio
$726
$1,496
+106% in Virginia Beach, VA
1 Bedroom
$777
$1,357
+75% in Virginia Beach, VA
2 Bedroom
$962
$1,559
+62% in Virginia Beach, VA
3 Bedroom
$1,117
$1,857
+66% in Virginia Beach, VA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$162,900
$366,300
+125% in Virginia Beach, VA

Income

Median Household Income
$64,497
$90,685
+41% in Virginia Beach, VA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,550
$49,430
+2% in Virginia Beach, VA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.8 yr
37.4 yr
+0.4 yr in Davenport, IA
Homeownership
63.0%
64.9%
+1.9 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
30.0%
40.4%
+10.4 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Avg Commute
18.7 min
23.2 min
+4.5 min in Virginia Beach, VA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
581.4
96.9
+83% in Davenport, IA
Property Crime
3,559.6
1,664.9
+53% in Davenport, IA

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
49.3°F
59.9°F
+10.6°F in Virginia Beach, VA
Annual Precipitation
36.0 in
44.3 in
+8.3 in in Virginia Beach, VA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$3.94/gal
+2% in Virginia Beach, VA

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

Adult base one-way fare — — vs HRT (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
17.2
+8% in Virginia Beach, VA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$22.16
$27.20
+23% in Virginia Beach, VA

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Davenport, IA
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.75
+5% in Virginia Beach, VA
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.21
+39% in Davenport, IA
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.45
+5% in Davenport, IA
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$1.90
+9% in Davenport, IA
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — Midwest vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IA / VA)
6%
5.3%
+0.7 pp in IA
Income Tax (top rate)
3.80%
5.75%
+2.0 pp in VA

Davenport vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Virginia Beach?
Davenport, IA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $960 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 38% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,560, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Virginia Beach?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Virginia Beach?
Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax); Virginia Beach under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).